University of Cincinnati
09/17/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/17/2026 13:18
You're probably not getting that $5,000 presidential check
You're probably not getting that $5,000 presidential check
UC economist weighs in on the numbers behind President Trump's proposal
2 minute read September 17, 2026 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on Reddit Print Story Like
President Donald Trump proposed a $5,000 check to every American adult if the Republican Party sweeps the upcoming midterm elections.
According to Marketplace, that could mean an additional $1.2 trillion in government spending.
The economic news outlet brought in Michael Jones, associate professor of economics at the University of Cincinnati's Lindner College of Business, to help explain what the presidential promise would actually entail.
In comparing the proposal to the the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Jones emphasized that stimulus checks can benefit lower-income families during a time of need.
But data shows that the relief also significantly boosted inflation in a ripple effect that the economy still feels today. Jones said that $5,000 per adult is "a surprising proposal given that inflation is still stubbornly above where we want to see it."
It's impossible to predict exactly how much a trillion-dollar payment would boost inflation this time around, but it likely means interest rates would go up, too.
Featured image at top of money overlaying the Capitol building. Photo/iStock/Douglas Rissing
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